Pages

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Mail - 25 New Signatures

20 New NHL autographs to show in this post along with 5 other new hockey related signatures. The grand total now stands at 4,674 unique NHL player signatures. Although I'll still be using my PEI address to send TTM letters, I'm now getting other mail sent to Ottawa so my blog post frequency should increase.

I'm a big fan of COMC.com but whenever I get a substantial packaged shipped from their US headquarters, it can take what seems like forever. I'm nearing three weeks on an order and had been hoping they would have been in this mail post. In this post the autographs came from the Canadian division of COMC.com, an ebay purchase (the KHL autographs) and a trade (thanks Kingsley).

I sent out 150 letters this month. The 150 letters represent months of work and a stomach turning investment in stamps. I should have a big piles of TTM returns to post when I return from PEI this Christmas break and get my mail.

Alexei Vasiliev

Russian defenceman Alexei Vasiliev played one game in the NHL with the 1999/2000 New York Rangers. He spent many years playing pro hockey in Russia and played for Lokomotiv for over a decade. Fate was with Vailisiev when he was released by Lokomotiv, the team he had played for since 2001, in 2011. It was just before the plan crash that killed most of the team, but saving his life.

Kurtis McLean

Kurtis McLean spent four years at Norwich University in Vermont playing Division III hockey before he was signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played 4 career NHL games with the 2008/09 New York Islanders as a 27 year old rookie and scored 1 goal. McLean won the 2012/13 Spengler Cup with Canada.

Kris Versteeg

Kris Versteeg only has a handful of certified autographs on the market and they tend to sell for more than I was willing to pay for a Versteeg signature. I finally landed this one for just a couple dollars. Versteeg is most notable for winning the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2015 with the Chicago Blackhawks. He's played over 500 NHL games between the Hawks, Leafs, Flyers, Panthers and Hurricanes.

Seth Jones

For a while Seth Jones was the talk of the hockey world. After settling in in the hockey hobby death zone of Nashville, his fame has declined accordingly. It also doesn't help that he's a defenceman. Son of retired NBA player Popeye Jones, Seth was drafted 4th overall in 2013 and immediately jumped to the NHL. Jones won a Bronze medal at the 2015 World Championships with USA. His brother, Caleb, was recently drafted by the Edmonton Oilers.

Mikael Granlund

Finnish forward Mikael Granlund was drafted 9th overall in 2010 by Minnesota. He's since played almost 200 NHL games. His younger brother, Markus, also plays in the NHL. Mikael won a Bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics with Finland.

Marcus Foligno

Since 2011 Marcus Foligno has played 200+ games in the NHL for the Buffalo Sabres. His father, Mike, was an NHL star and his brother, Nick, is captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Foligno family is a gift to collectors because they all have beautiful signatures.

Dmitrij Jaskin

Since 2013 Russian born Czech raised forward Dmitrij Jaskin has played just under 100 NHL games with the St. Louis Blues.

Adam Clendening

American born defenceman Adam Clendening was drafted 36th overall by Chicago in 2011. Since 2014 he has played 20+ NHL games between the Blackhawks, Canucks and his current team, the Penguins.

Corban Knight

Corban Knight was a Hobey Baker Award finalist in his final season of college hockey with North Dakota in 2013. Knight had been drafted by the Florida Panthers in 2009 but when the team couldn't sign him they traded his rights to the Calgary Flames. He's scored 1 goal in 9 career NHL games with the Flames.

Ryan Sproul

In his last season of junior hockey Ryan Sproul was named the OHL and CHL top defenceman. A 2011 second round pick by Detroit, Sproul has played one NHL game with the Red Wings and it came during the 2013/14 season.

Calle Jarnkrok

Drafted in the second round of the 2010 draft by the Red Wings, Jarkrok was traded to Nashville in 2014 and has since played 100 NHL games. With Sweden, Jarnkrok won a Gold medal at the 2013 World Championships and a Bronze in 2014.

Seth Griffith

Seth Griffith was an OHL All-Star and league champion in each of his last two junior seasons with the London Knights. As a rookie he played 30 NHL games for the 2014/15 Boston Bruins.

Mackenzie Skapski

Mackenzie Skapski was drafted 170th overall by the NY Rangers in 2013. He played 2 NHL games for the 2014/15 Rangers when their crease was hit with injuries. It was his first season as a pro hockey player.

Patrik Sundstrom

From 1982 to 1992 Patrik Sundstrom played over 700 regular season+playoff games in the NHL, splitting his time between the Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils. He scored over 200 goals in the NHL, his best season being a 38 goal year with the 1983/84 Canucks. With Sweden he won a Silver medal at the 1981 World Championships and the 1984 Canada Cup. His twin brother, Peter, also played in the NHL.

Andrew McBain

From 1983 to 1994 Andrew McBain played 600+ games in the NHL. His best season was a 37 goal 77 point year with the 1988/89 Winnipeg Jets. He won a Silver medal at the 1989 World Championships with Canada.

Dave Barr

From 1982 to 1984 Dave Barr played 600+ NHL games. He was a journeyman who saw time with the Bruins, Rangers, Blues, Whalers, Red Wings and Stars.

With the Toronto Maple Leafs Joe Klukay won the Stanley Cup in 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1951. Klukay played well over 500 NHL games between the Leafs and Boston Bruins. He passed away in 2006.

Frank Mathers

From 1948 to 1952 Frank Mathers played 23 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The defenceman was also a professional football player. He was a fullback with the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Ottawa Rough Riders. He later became a longtime coach and GM with the AHL's Hershey Bears winning a handful of Calder Cups and being inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992 as a builder. He passed away in 2005.

Al Stewart

From 1985 to 1992 Alan Stewart played 64 games in the NHL, all but 4 with the New Jersey Devils and he ended his career with the Boston Bruins.

A Cornwall University alumni, Rebecca Johnston has won 2 Olympic Gold medals with Canada, in 2010 and 2014.

Jennifer Wakefield

Jennifer Wakefield recently played men's professional hockey in Sweden with Boras HC. The talented forward helped Canada win Gold at the 2014 Olympics.

Bob Goodenow

From 1992 to 2005 Bob Goodenow was Executive Director of the NHLPA. I already have a Gary Bettman autograph so its a natural fit in my small "NHL Executives" stash. Its hard to talk about the 2004/05 lockout without mentioning Goodenow and Bettman. Not only was Goodenow a Harvard law graduate, he was also a good hockey player who spent time in the Washington Capitals organization. I had tried writing to him a couple times while he worked for the NHLPA but never got an answer.

John D'Amico

Linesman John D'Amico officiated over 1,700 NHL games from 1964 to 1988. He worked 20 Stanley Cup Finals so if you watch historical hockey games its hard not to see D'Amico. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993. He passed away in 2005.

Neil Armstrong

From 1957 to 1978 Neil Armstrong officiated 1,700+ NHL games. The linesman was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991. His son, Doug, is currently General Manager of the NHL's St. Louis Blues. These two also inspired me to send out about a dozen request to some retired referees and linesmen. Its a collection I'd like to grow but I still can't find an address to use to send to current officials.